It's been a while since I had a wonder around
Chesterhey I was born there
but what have they done to it?
It looks tatty and in need of a good wash and brush up
the old sandstone buildings look tired and worn
the buskers look tired and worn (bring back Deponio and his scabby dog)
the number 9 bus goes a different way
a pound for a single - I remember paying 12p on the Corporation Bus
and they ran every half hour
now they run every ten minutes and by two different companies
the Odeon is shut
buildings have gone - the Infirmary (where I played my very first record on the radio), that health building that was opposite it, the toilets opposite the old baths that used to have a notice signed by a Mr Kermode,
shops have gone too - Norman's (best fudge in the world), Ames (records and cassettes), Arts and Craft Studio (art and craft stuff and a great selection of toys), Tandy (CB radios and lots of bits of wire with stuff on the ends), Culpeppers (pine bath milk - from real pine baths), the other pub that used to be next to the one on the Cross (where I had my first legal pint), Dereks' hairdressers (the rumours were not true)
sheesh
even the archaeological dig at the
Amphitheatre looks like Tony Robinson's dirty sock drawer
and why did they have to rename the Ermine pub as
Flookersbrook? - when I was giving someone directions today
to Hoole Bridge I thought they were going to hit me
some things don't change though
that guy selling hot dogs by the Forum has been there that long
I think he actually started out selling
dormice* to the Romans
dipped in honey
and that's not the end of it
they have big plans for redevelopment in the
Northgate area
there's an exhibition showing what to expect
it's a huge picture of Chester with some guys in yellow jackets
ripping out its heart
is it any wonder that on the walk into town two cars stopped me and asked
for directions to Cheshire Oaks
but at least it still smells of autumn
even in the middle of summer it always seemed to smell of autumn
*Baked dormice:
Stuff the dormice with minced pork or the meat of other dormice chopped up with herbs, pepper and pine nuts. Sew up the dormice and cook in a small oven.
Nigella suggests a lose fitting toga and lots of sugestive looks when handling the pine nuts.
Labels: I'm told the place is that bad now even the police moved out
